Embarrassing, frustrating (or painful!) as they may be, biting and temper tantrums are a normal part of your child’s development. A phase of biting, screaming, kicking and breath-holding is bound to...
Tiny tempers
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Ensure a positive start to playschool
The first day of playschool is often as traumatic for the parents as it is for the child – and moms and dads don’t have new friends and toys to distract them! As difficult as they can be, hellos and...
Play is fundamental to your child’s development
“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul.” – Friedrich Froebel In our busy lives dominated by hectic...
Understanding Facial Expressions
As a parent, it sometimes feels like I can experience a whole spectrum of emotions in a single day: from happiness and joy to frustration, anger and sadness. Finally ending off the day in...
Matilda and Schoolies
Matilda by Roald Dahl You might think that it is a bit funny that I am reviewing a children’s book instead of an adult book this month, however, please bear with me. We are moving soon and the chaos...
A Trip to the Bird Gardens
Once the excitement of Christmas and New Year has passed I find that there is a lull in the holiday before the start of the new school year. Not wanting my children to get bored, I have been trying...
Back to School Baking
As a parent, there are few things more irritating than getting up early and lovingly preparing a healthy lunchbox only to find it returned, untouched, at the end of the day. This has also happened a...
How to be (Mostly) Prepared for School
It seems like the second that Christmas is over and the streamers from New Year have been cleaned up I start to spot back to school posters, pamphlets and adverts all over the place. Crikey, can’t...
Potatoes Aren’t Only For Eating
Children love painting at the best of times. It is such an amazing creative outlet that seems to bring their imaginations alive and I have a wonderful collection of my children’s paintings that I...
Creative Sensory Sand Art
Those of you who know me or who have been following the blog will know that I absolutely loathe sand! Fortunately, not all sand is created equal and I think I have found a way that allows my little...
Water Balloon Fun in the Summer
Summer time in Johannesburg means hot, sunny days. And there is nothing more refreshing on a hot, sunny day than some water play in the garden. I found this awesome water balloon kit from a new toy...
The Road to Little Dribbling and My First Jozi Words
The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson I have never been particularly interested in travel writing, however, this December I was drawn to a display of Bill...
Getting Festive with Gingerbread Houses
Every year at Christmas time, I find myself looking online at all of the amazing gingerbread houses that people create. From elaborate gingerbread mansions to entire gingerbread towns, I just can't...
Surviving the December Holidays
December time is here which means school is out, leave has been taken and festive displays are popping up everywhere (although some have been up since September). Whether you celebrate Christmas or...
Great Toys December 2015
December time typically means that parents are on the look out for toys to give their little ones as gifts over the festive season. If you are stuck for ideas, here are a few that I gave my little...
Water Play with a Toy Wash Station
December time generally means sun, sand and swimming for most people in South Africa. We have been having a lot of the sun part at the moment and although that is one of the advantages of living in...
Mistletoes feet and Reindeer hands for Christmas
The Christmas season has officially started (although we have had our tree and decorations up for a month already) and so I thought it would be fun to make some Christmas themed hand and footprint...
Great Toys November 2015
Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set (3+ years) Make fabulous mudpies and sandcakes with this sea-creature inspired "baking" set. Young chefs will love using the shell-shaped measuring cups,...